Wheel and brake assembly for aircraft landing gear



March 3, 1959 F. c. ALBRIGHT 2,875,855

WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR Filed Sept. 28, 1953 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FfE INVENTOR.

F-EAIML/N CZ fiZBe/am' ATTORNEY WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR Filed Sept. 28. 1953 March 3, 1959 F. c. ALBRAGHT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. FkAJ/AL/l/C HLBE/GHT AT TOENEY March 3, 1959 F. c. ALBRIGHT 2,875,355

- WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR Filed Sept. 28, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w M6 /42 #5 A10 4 m9 M4; 0 42/ w 53, W W //9 /Z0 m W W EH2 //4 a #9 #5 I26 .Z/

w w w Y //6 #2 m w g0 w v I20 v L... V l- 34 14/6727 A! i y INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United Statesv This inventionrelates' toa Wheeland brake assembly:

primarilyadapted for'use with landing gear for aircraft; 1

A wheel and' brake assembly of the kind with which the. instant invention. is concerned usually. employsbrakemechanism of the disc type withone set of discs (the stator discs or elements) fixed on a non-rotatable Wheel and brakecarrier and the other set (the rotatable discs or elements) fixed to an outer or peripheral rotatable tire-carrying wheel structure, as in the Patentto DuBois No. 2,616,525, granted November'4, 1952, to the assignee of the instant invention.

An object of the invention is to effect 'a'reduction in weight of a wheel and brake assembly for heavy duty service, as in aircraft landing gear, while at the same time maintaining. the. necessary strength: to; sustain the heavy vertical, lateraland' angular load stresses towhich'tlie:-

wheel may be subjected. This object is, in .part, accom-: plished by designing theiparts ofthe wheel so that they; maybe. readily forged in contradistinction to casting; al.-- though the parts may be either forged or .cast as -desired.'I An important advantage in forging'is that the parts may be reduced in weight while maintaining thenecessary strength and yet at the same time may be readily machined to.- close tolerances.

Another object is to provide an improved.:wheel"and.l brake assembly having large wheel bearings located on the periphery of a central .brake carrierand'a wheel. support; ing member capable of resisting heavy load stresses. and moments due to side loadscommonly encountered by wheels used in aircraft landing. gear. l

Another object 'is topro-videain a wheel of the type specie. fied a rugged and compact non-rotatable wheel body'hav-: ing improved means for mountingythe brake torque;components ateither one o-r.-b'oth: sides ofttheb'ody:

' Another object is. to; providewaqwheel having a: non;- rotatable wheel body which is of a diameter approaching: the overall diameter. of:the wheel, andrimconjunction therewith. a bearingassemblyand .a pair ofiwheel halves which constitute the rotatable tiresmountingwheel proper, the: arrangement being; such as to permit demounting. of one of the. wheel halves without 1disturbing:-therbearing assembly; I I

A further object of the. inventionzis to'.provide'a.whe.el-: and brake assembly'wherein maximum. installation; spaces for the required braking components is providedwithinw thevertical planes of the wheel, at the inboard or'outboard side thereof, which ever may be foundv more .con-o venient... This is brought about by a particular type ofz; wheel-supporting body and :wheel bearinguwhich'loccupyax a minimum of space transversely of the wheel and at the same time are so braced against load stresses as to permit the :body to be offset varying'degrees 1with;respectwtolthe peripheral wheel halves v,whichgconstitute', .tthe iarotatable; tirevcarrying part of-jhe -wheel.-. a

A-still further, object of the invention :is;.:tov provide-av wheel and brakeassembly well adapted.toadcasteerable? wheel, viz., a wheel which maybe freely casterediorz; steered, as requirements dictate.

2,875,855 Patented" Mar; 3,1959

I The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of. the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fi'gurel is a substantially central cross-sectional view througli' a' brake and wheelassembly accordingto'theinvention;

Figure '2 isa view in sectional.s'ide'elevation of Figure 1-; v

- Figurei3is*an'explo'ded or: disassembled view of the wheel body components? and bearing assembly;

Figure14 is a cross-sectionalview of a modified form of'a wheel, and: Y Figure 5' is asectionald'etailof amodifi'cation of'tlie wheel bearing assembly.

Referring to thedrawings'and first to=the wheel and brake assembly. as shown in Figures 1, 2and 3 thereof,

a-hub' section is indicated at.10; it:isformed-with an axle" openingzll, the inner wall of which is splined, as at 12, fO'ICCelVeIhB axle 13 of a landing 'gears'trutynot shown. Projecting radially from thehub-at diametrically opposite points-are a pair of'hollow kingpinsor swivel posts 14,

adapted to receive a bearing assembly, here'shown as: of

the straight'roller. or pin type comprising a series of rollers 15, races. 16; shims 17 and'r'etain'ers 18.

The...supporting: structure for both the rotating wheel proper z.-(=the ;wheel .halves to be.described=) 'andthe" nonrotatablezs'tator elements of the brake-assembly consists of;a:.pair ofzdisczshapedsmembers or plates 19 and-30,

compare Figures 3 and v1L Plate-19,1which may becor'rsidered thefioute'r plateiin a casterin'g wheel, is formed-with air .-annular axially-projecting reinforcing and f brake 1 sup'-" portingcboss orthickened portion 20, and a radially [extendingi'discashaped relatively thin sectionor": portion 21;;which; at its outer edge terminates in an axial-extend ing tbearirigssupporting flangef22.'- The-central areaof the plate isformed witharectangular o'pening:23,' which fits ove'r:the hub 10, and a pair of oppositely-extending depressions 24 and 25, which form one-half of alpair of sockets for'the king-pins or swivel-posts 14*andthe bear ings therefor. Adjacentzthe flange 22' areapluralit'j of annularly-spaced holes 26, for receiving the inner' ends I 0f.:a1series"of hydraulic brake-cylinders 94, which latter also'function as clamping membersor bolts." The holes'27 Y accommodate brake-return springbolts 100x Also formed" on :the-inner surface of.the.plate:i19 is'a pair ofhinge or swivel'lugsm28;-whichi provide means' for attachin'g a damping: mechanismyto prevent'shimmy of the wheels,

if it should becom'e'a problem; Thefour holes 29lo'cated invth'e'. thickened f po'rtion'. 20-around the central opening:

23 .receive. clamping bolts" 41.

The wheel-supporting disc or plate 30, which may be considered the inner plate-in a castering wheel, has a central; 1 axially-p'rojectin g thickened reinforcing portion positelyextending depressions '35 and 36, mate with the depressions -24 and 25 'respectivelyinplate -19 andcom vpletethe sockets for the king pins or swiv-el' posts '14 and- The holes 37 and 38 in plate'30 the bearings therefor. match: with the holes 26-and 27v in plate:19 to receive the hydraulic cylinders 94- and springubolts" 100." The lugs 28 extendthrough opening 39: The four holes 40" 1 located in the: thickened portion'31' around the central opening'34mate'with the holes29 in plate *19 to 'accom modate thesclamping bolts 41.

When; the wheel-supporting plates 19 and 30--are matched.:.and Iclamped together in "assembled relation as shown -:-.in :Figure". 1,. the-peripheral:.fianges 22 and-* 33 1 thereof in conjunction with the peripheral edges 42 and transmit the vertical, lateral and'angular load thrusts or moments to the .wheel supporting plates 19 and 30 and the hubsection with a minimum of friction. Bearing cages 50 and 51 are provided for the rollers 48, the latter being disposed in openings formed in said rings, as iscommon in bearing assemblies. Bearing seal plates 52 and 53, held in placegby retainer rings 54 and 55, and wheel spacer and runner rings ,,:56 and 57, prevent escape of a .lubricant and protect-the hearing from dust and dirt and other abrasives; The bearing is permanently packed with a suitable lubricant, but should'repacking become necessary, either one or both spacer runners 56 :and 57 and plates 52 and 53 may be removed for that purpose when'either one or both of the wheel halves is or.are demounted in a manner which will presently become apparent.v

' The spacer and runner rings 56 and 57 are shaped or contouredand matched in a ,manner such that when they are assembled on the outer bearing race ring 49, they define an annular channel or seat 58 for the latter ring; and they are also provided witha series of bolt holes. .59, adapted to receive wheel clamping bolts 60, which aresecured by lock nuts 61.

The. rotatable tire-carrying portion of the wheel comprises a pair. of matched wheel .halves,.generally indicated at 621 and 63'. As will be understood, these wheel halves or members are in-effect rim sections for mounting ,a tire, and. accordingly are provided with side flanges 64 and 65 which together with the transverse body portions of the wheel halves are contoured to define a seat for a demountable tire ofthe-desired specifications as to overall diameter'and cross-section. At their inner edges, the .wheel' halves-are formed with radially-inwardly-extendingclamping flanges 66 and 67, which together with the inner transverse edge portions of said vwheel halves define annular inner and outer seats adapted to clampingly engage the wheel spacer and runner rings 56 and 57, the said flanges being formed with a series of bolt'holes for the bolts 60. At their outer edges the wheel'halves are projected transversely and terminate in flanges .68 and 69. Provision ismade for a tire valve 70,.which at its outer end is supported from the flange 69 bya bracket 71. The members indicated at 72 are lubricating nipples for the king pin roller bearings BRAKE ASSEMBLY keys 78 have squared body portions which define trans-.

verse slots for slidably receiving the inner edge portions of the'stator discs 77, said body portions being anchored jacent "spacer'ring 56. At their outer ends the keys 83 terminate in yoke or. U-shaped portions which are pinned to anchor blocks or key fittings 86, connected to the wheel flange 68 by means of bolts 87 and lock nuts 88. A non-rotatable reaction member or backing plate 89 is mounted on the outer side of the extreme left-hand stator disc and is held invplace by adapter 90, the latter in turn being anchored by the screw-threaded outer ends of the keys 78, .which project through openings in the adapter 90 and are provided with lock nuts 91. The adapter 90 and backing'plate 89 are screw threaded to facilitate assembly operations.

A laterallymovable pressure plate is indicated at 92;

' it is adapted to be moved to braking position by means receive securing nuts 96.

of pistons 93, mounted in hydraulicfcylinders 94, the latter also functioningas securingmeans or bolts for the inner and outer wheel-supporting plates 19 and 30. For this purpose, the inner ends of the hydraulic cylinders 94 are, formed with flanges 95, which seat in counter-sunk holes or openings formed in the wheel-supporting plate 19, and at their outer ends the said cylin'. ders project through holes or openings formed in the wheel-supporting plate 30 and are screw-threaded to Hydraulic fluid under pressure is. supplied to the cylinder 94 by means of suitable fittings 97 and line connections 98.

The pressure plate, 92 and the pistons 93 are urged toward released or retracted position by means of a plurality of annularly-spaced return springs 99, which are mounted on the bolts 100.

' ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION Obviously, diiferent" methods of assembly maybe adopted. However, one procedure is to-mount the inner and outer wheel supporting disc or plates 19 and 30 to the ihuband king pin section 10, 14 with the assembled outer bearing and wheel runner assembly 45 located on the-flanges 22 and 33. The inner and outer wheel halves 62 and 63 may 'then be mounted to the spacer and bearing assembly and secured in place by the bolts 60 and nuts 61. The hydraulic fluid connections including the cylinder 94 and pistons 93 may be mounted in the holes provided therefor in the inner and outer wheel supporting plates 19 and 30; after which the brake drum or carrier 75 may be secured in place on the lateral projection 20, the stationary brake components 77 and the rotating segments 82 then assembled in the slots provided therefor by the keys 78 and 83, and the backing plate 89 and adapter 90 mounted and secured in place by the nuts 91.

In operation, the only parts of the wheel which rotate are the Wheel halves 62 and 63, the spacer and runner rings 56 and 57 and outer bearing race 49, and the brake to the drum 75 by means of bolts 80. The discs 77 are rotorelements 82.

In mounting or demounting a tire, the wheel half 63 may be removed without removing the bearing and spacer assembly 45 or any part thereof.

It willbe noted that the main parts of the wheel are so designed as to facilitate forging. This is true of the hub and king pin section 10, 14, the wheel supporting plates 19 and 30, the spacer and bearing assembly 45, the inner and outer wheel halves 62, 63, and most of the brake components including the drum 75, pressure plate 92,. backing plate 89 and adapter 90. However, the wheel and brake components are also adapted for casting in whole or in part, whichever may be found more suitable for manufacturing purposes.

Figure 4 the plates which provide the non-rotatable wheel-sup-- porting body are indicated at and 106. For the purposes of description, it vwill be assumed that the plate 105 is the inner plate and the plate 106 the outer plate,

althoughlthis ,order could be treversedior .convenienceor. to suit differentinstallations. The.plates,. are. formedv with integralmating hub sections 107 and. 108. and transhub member, shown in the form of a hollow bushing 112, having ashoulder 113 at one.side of the wheel againstwhich the hub section 107 abuts whenthe, plates and hub member are assembled and secured in assembled relation as by lock nut 114. The oneend (the right-hand.

end in Figure '4) of the hub member 112 is extendedsufl ficiently to provide a support for the brake carrier, hereshown in the form of a torquetube 115 and associated backing or reaction plate 116, For this purpose, a carrier ring 117 is splined on the hub member112as at 118, and is locked in place by tightening the nut 114. The ring 116 is provided with a plurality of annularly -arranged bolt holes, to accommodate the inner threaded ends of stator keys 119, by means of which the stator segments or discs 120 as the case may be, are locked against rotation to the tube 115 while at the same time arev permitted to move axially thereon to be .brought'into frictional or braking engagement witha series of rotor discs or elements 121, supported bythe rotating or tirecarrying portion of the wheel in a manner to be described.

As in the wheel illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive,

theiwheel. supporting plates. are secured'or clamped tocylinders are provided with threaded brake linev fittings 125, andtheopposite ends thereof with clamping and lock nuts 126. The device indicated at 127 functions to take up space between the rotor. and stator elements resulting from wear or disintegration of the brake material; it is not concerned. with the inventionand hence need not be described,

The wheel halves which constitute the rotary tirecarrying portion of thewheel 'are indicated=at130 and 131; they are of. different transverse widths in order to have the wheel body offset with respect to the geometrical center line of'the wheel and thus provide more'space at one side of said'body within the vertical planes of the wheel for the. brake assembly. Accordingly, the wheel half 131 is of. materially greater transverse extent than the wheel half 130; Each wheel half is formed with a tire-retaining bead or flange, as at 132' and 133,,and also with a radiallyrinwardly extending mounting flange, as at 134 and 135, the latterbeing provided'with bolt holes for receiving clamping bolts 136, secured in place by lock nuts 137. The rotor brake discs or elements are carried by the wheel half 131, being connected for axial movement to the latter by keys 138, which at their inner ends are anchored to the flange 135 and at their outer ends are secured to the adjacent edge of the wheel half by bolts 139. These keys define axially-extending slots for the outer edges of the rotor discs in a manner well understood in the art.

The annular bearing ring assembly for the wheel halves is in general like that shown in the wheel first described. It is generally designated at 140 and comprises inner race rings 141 and 141, which are seated on the wheel-supporting plate flanges 109 and 110, a series of bearing rollers 142, and an outer race or runner ring 143 having an annular radial projection 144, which is clamped or locked between the flanges 134- and 135. Cover plates 145 and 146 protect the bearings from infiltration of abrasives.

The rugged construction of the supporting means for the bearings provided by the flanges 109 and 110 and adjacent peripheral portions of the plates 105 and 106, and the particular arrangement of the inner and outer race... and; runner, ringsJin. conjunction with, the, bearing elementsenable the wheel. towithstand heavy vertical, lateral and angular load thrusts eventhough-,the wheelsupporting body is materially oflset with respect tothe vertical load center of the wheel. By offsettingthe wheelsupporting body with respect to the rotating wheel halves,.

more space is made available, for installation ofa brake assembly of ample brakingcapacity without widening the. wheel beyond the vertical planes. of the tire-carryingportion ofthe wheel. As inthe wheel first'described, the. parts may be readily forged, since hollow and, deeply drawn formations are defined by separately fabricated parts which, prior to mating, are open and adaptablefor contouring inforging dies.

Figure 5 illustrates how thebearing race assembly of Figures 1, 2 and 3, or by a slightmodification the.

like assembly 140 of Figure 4, may lie adapted for ball. bearings instead of roller bearings. In this instance the, radially outer race ringis indicated. at 49'; the radially. inner'race rings at 46 and 47; the bearing cage at 5il',. and the ball bearings at ll47.- Here, as inthe roller,bear-. ing assemblies of Figures 1 to- 4, inclusive, the bearing is well adapted to withstand radial, lateralandangu-lar load stresses.

Although only two embodiments of the'invention have been illustrated and described, it willbeunderstoodjby those skilled in the art that the objects thereof may beattained by the use of'constructions differing in certain respect from those disclosed without departingfromthe.

.or more non-rotatable braking. elements supported. for

axial movement on the outer side of oneof said' plates, wheel bearing means mounted on the peripheral portionsof said plates, wheel halves'lconnected to saidbearing means and constitutingthe rotatable tire-carrying-portion of the wheel, one or more axially movable rotatablev braking elements supported for axial movementby one of said wheel halves and-arranged to coact withsaidnonrotatable braking elements, a pressure plate for said braking elements also supported for axial movement on the outer side of said one of said plates, and pistons mounted in said cylinders and arranged to engage said pressure plate.

2. A wheel assembly including a pair of non-rotatable annular wheel-supporting plates having mating portions on the contiguous faces thereof in the radially outer regions of said plates, means rigidly connecting said plates together with said projections in mated relation providing a non-rotatable wheel-supporting body, a continuous bearing ring assembly including a non-rotatable race ring mounted on said projections and a rotatable runner ring arranged circumferentially of said race ring radially outwardly beyond the peripheries of said plates, a pair of wheel halves having their transverse inner contiguous edges in clamping engagement with said runner ring and lying in substantially the same transverse plane as the latter, said wheel halves together with said runner ring constituting the rotatable tire-carrying portion of the wheel, and means for swiveling the wheel assembly through combination With said wheel supporting plates.

3. A wheel assembly including a pair of generally discshaped plates having mating flanges on the contiguous faces thereof in .the peripheral regions of the plates, means rigidly connecting said plates together with said flanges in mated relation providing a non-rotatable'wheel-supporting body, a pair of wheel halves mounted circumferentially of said plates, a bearing assembly for said wheel halves comprising a non-rotatable race ring supported on said flanges between the spaced peripheral portions of'said plates and a rotatable runner ring arranged circumferentially of said race ring and having its opposite said plates, a bearing assembly for said wheel halves comprising a non-rotatable race ring disposed between the peripheral portions of said plates and a rotatable runner ring arranged circumferentially of said race ring radially outward beyond the peripheral edges of said plates, the radially inner surfaces of said wheel halves being pro vided with radially inwardly-extending projections straddling said runner ring, means projecting through said last named projections and runner ring for clamping the wheel halves and runner ring together to provide the rotatable tire-carrying portion of the wheel, a pivot post extending between said wheel halves, and means clamping said wheel halves to said post and permitting relative rotational movement therebetween.

5.'A'wheel assembly including a pair of disc-shaped annular non-rotatable wheel-supporting plates having mating flanges on the contiguous faces thereof, a pair of wheel halves rotatably mounted on said plates, a bearing assembly for said wheel halves comprising a race ring disposed between the peripheral portions of said plates, a rotatable runner ring mounted circumferentially of said race ring radially outward beyond the peripheral edges of said plates, the radially inner faces of said wheel halves being formed with radially inwardly-extending flanges straddling said rotatable runner ring, fastening means projecting through said flanges and runner ring for clamping the wheel halves together to provide the rotatable tire carrying portion of the wheel, the outer surfaces of said wheel halves and said runner ring lying in substantially the same transverse plane, a pivot post received between said plate, and means allowing pivotal movement between said post and supporting plates.

6. A wheel assembly for a caster type of wheel including a pair of generally disc-shaped plates having latofmating depressions providing swivel bearings for said posts, a pair of wheel halves mounted circumferentiallv of said plates, and a bearing assembly for said wheel halves mounted on the spaced peripheral portions of said erally-extending mating projections on the opposed contiguous faces thereof in the peripheral regions of the plates, a wheel hub member provided with opposed axial ly-extending swivel posts, said wheel supporting plates also having formed in the opposed contiguous faces thereplates.

7. A wheel and brake assembly comprising a pair of annular non-rotatable disc-like supporting plates having laterally-extending mating flanges on the contiguous faces thereof within the peripheral region of said plates, means rigidly connecting said plates together with said flanges in mated relation to provide a non-rotatable wheel-supporting body, a disc brake assembly comprising a plurality of non-rotatable radially-extending axially-movable braking elements, means anchoring said braking elements to a laterally-projecting portion of one of said plates, a

continuous bearing ring assembly including a non-rotatable race ring mounted on said flanges and a rotatable runner ring arranged circumferentially of said race ring radially outwardly of the peripheries of said plates, a pair of wheel 'halves having their inner edge portions connected to said runner ring, one or more rotatable braking elements, means connecting said latter elements to one of said wheel halves for axial movement in between said non-rotatable braking elements, a backing or reaction plate and an axially-movable pressure plate disposed respectively on the outer and inner sides of said braking elements, a combined connecting means and hydraulic actuating means consisting of a plurality of circumferentially spaced cylinders constructed as clamping members to hold the wheel supporting plates together, said spaced cylinders being formed with cylinder bores therein, a plurality of pistons slidably received in said cylinder bores, for movement therein, and fluid pressure transmitting means for communicating fluid pressure to actuate said pistons whereby the brake is applied.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Collier Mar. 16, 1954 

